Handle



May 19, 1964 Filed April 5, 1963 H. RIEBSAMEN 3,133,311

HANDLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

INVENTOR.

HENRY RIEBSAMEN.

ATTORNEK,

y 1964 H. RIEBSAMEN 7 3,133,311

HANDLE Filed April :5, 1963 2 Sheets-Shem 2 l9 FIG. 2

9 33 39 INVENTOR,

25 HENRY R/EBSAMEN.

BY 2 Z 27 3I l; 7 l5 ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofilice 3, l 33,3 1 l Patented May 19, 1964 The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to a handle. Specifically the handle of this invention has particular application for use on compact, light weight devices to serve as a means for holding the device when in use.

For the past several years there has been a trend to reduce equipment to compact hand portable size that heretofore werelarge and bulky. One problem associated with such reduction in size was to provide a handle or grip that would not interfere with the operation, packaging, storage and carrying of such equipment. Some of the equipments that have so been reduced in size include rocket launchers, light weight weapons, signalling devices such as radar, radio receiver and transmitter sets and television sets. In addition to being hand carried, it is often necessary or desirable that such equipments be mounted on a stand, such as a tripod support, where the equipment is to be used in a stationary position.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a folding grip adapted for use for holding and carrying a compact equipment or device when in use.

An important feature of the invention resides in the construction of a handle that can be folded, when not in use, so as not to affect the general contour of the unit to which it is attached.

Another feature of the invention resides in the rigidity of the handle when in extended and use position whereby the equipment can be held with a minimum of sway or movement.

Another feature of the invention lies in the ease and rapidity in which the handle can be extended into its use position.

The invention herein can be best understood from the following description to be read in view of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the preferred form of handle in its folded or collapsed position.

FIGURE 2 is a view in elevation, and partly in section of the handle; and

FIGURE 3 is a view in perspective of the handle in extended or use position.

In the description of the invention that follows, the handle will be described as afiixed to the underside of a small portable radar set but it is to be understood that such use is not limiting. In the drawings there is shown the underside of a radar set 11 to which is secured the handle assembly. Though forming no part of the invention herein, there is shown a mount designated generally as 13 for supporting the set 11 on a tripod when the set is to be used in a fixed stationary position. The mount 13 includes a base plate 15 and a pair of opposing glides 17 which engage a pair of opposing rails on the tripod to hold'the set secure on the tripod when the handle assembly is folded down such as shown in FIGURE 1.

The handle assembly includes a hollow grip 19 which is mounted on a pair of spaced shafts 21, 21' to permit the grip 19 to be rotated through a substantially 90 sweep from its upright position as shown in FIGURE 3 to its folded position as in FIGURE 1. For securing Positioned above the ring 27 and in abutment there-' with is a plate 29 which is securely affixed to the base plate 15 by rivets or the like. Extending perpendicu larly from the plate 29 are a pair of diametrically opposed posts 31 which are integral with the plate 29. Extending between the posts 31 is a shaft 33 upon which is confined a rotatable U shaped yoke 35. Extending from the elongated fiat base portion of the yoke 35 is a pin 37 which extends into the grip 19 of the handle assembly and about which the grip can pivot as hereinafter described. The several parts of the handle assembly heretofore described are so dimensioned and positioned that the elongated flat base portion of the yoke 35 is in intimate engagement with fiat top portion of the grip whereby when the grip 19 is rotated, it will pivot about the pin 37. About the shaft 33 is confined a double torsion spring 39', the ends of which press against the plate 2?. Between its coiled portions, the spring 39 include an intermediate elongated U shaped portion'that engages the yoke 35 and its associated grip 19. Included as part of the handle assembly is a pawl 41 which is rigidly secured to the base plate 15 and adapted to engage separate detents 43 and 43' which are discretely spaced on the peripheral edge of the rotatable ring 27 as can be seen in FIGURE 2 and which serve to limit the rotational movement of the ring 27.

The handle of the invention described herein is utilized in the following manner. When the set is initially removed from a stacked position, the grip 19 will be in its non use or folded position as shown in FIGURE 1. If desired to hand carry and operate the equipment the V grip 19 is raised substantially to its erected position. The ring 27 is then twisted or rotated by movement of the grip 19 until the pawl 41 engages the detent 43' at which time no further rotation can be accomplished. At such time the handle assembly is as shown in FIGURE 3. In such position it can be seen that the grip 19 and the yoke 35 form a cross-brace combination and there can be no relative movement between the members, thereby aifording a rigid handle assembly.

When it is desired to restore the grip to its folded position all that need be done is to reverse the operation i.e. twist the grip and the ring 27 until the pawl engages the detent 43. At such time the shaft 33, supporting the yoke, and the shafts 21 are in alignment, and the yoke 35 will be nested in the yoke shaped portion of the grip 19 thereby permitting the grip 19 to be pivoted downwardly to its folded position. The spring 39 assists in urging and maintaining the grip 19 in its folded position.

What is claimed is:

1. A handle assembly for hand portable equipment including a rotatable and pivotable hand grip which terminates at one end in a U shaped yoke adjacent to a surface of said equipment and a second confined pivotable U shaped yoke intermediate said grip and the surface of said equipment to which it is secured, means for rotating said grip about the said confined yoke to a position when the respective longitudinal axes of both of said yokes are transverse to each other whereby said yokes are in a cross-brace relationship to maintain said grip in an upright position to serve as a handle for said equipment, and whereby when the respective axes of said yokes are in alignment, both of said yokes will be nested to permit folding of said grip to a folded position on the surface of said equipment.

2. A handle assembly of the kind set forth in claim 1 and further including means for limiting the rotational movement of said grip.

3. A handle assembly for hand portable equipment comprising a rotatable member contiguous with a surface of said equipment, a fixed plate secured to said surface and superimposed on said rotatable member, a pivoted hand grip aflixed to said rotatable member, a substantially U shaped pivotable yoke on said fixed plate intermediate said plate and said grip and adapted to form a cross brace with said grip to rigidly maintain said grip when said grip and yoke are in their respective upright extended positions and further including engaging means with said grip whereby when said grip and yoke are in alignment said yoke and grip are jointly pivotable to fold said grip into flush engagement with the surface of said equipment.

4. A handle assembly of the kind set forth in claim 3 wherein said last mentioned engaging means between said yoke and said grip comprises a pin afiixed to said yoke that extends into said grip.

5. A handle assembly of the kind set forth in claim 3 and further including tensioning means for normally urging said yoke and grip into flush engagement with the surface of said equipment.

6. A handle assembly of the kind set forth in claim 3 and further including means for limiting the rotational movement of said rotatable member in either direction.

7. A handle assembly for hand portable equipment comprising a rotatable ring in abutment with a surface of said equipment, said ring being provided with opposing perpendicular tabs, a discrete shaft in each of said tab, a grip pivotally mounted on said shafts, a plate secured to said surface and superimposed on said rotatable ring, a pair of opposing staffs on said plate, a shaft extending between said staffs, a U shaped yoke confined between said staffs and pivotable on said shaft and below said grip whereby said grip can be rotated to form a cross brace with said yoke in one position, and further rotated to align said grip and said yoke whereby Said grip and yoke are nested to be jointly pivotable to fold said grip into flush arrangement with the surface of said equipment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A HANDLE ASSEMBLY FOR HAND PORTABLE EQUIPMENT INCLUDING A ROTATABLE AND PIVOTABLE HAND GRIP WHICH TERMINATES AT ONE END IN A U SHAPED YOKE ADJACENT TO A SURFACE OF SAID EQUIPMENT AND A SECOND CONFINED PIVOTABLE U SHAPED YOKE INTERMEDIATE SAID GRIP AND THE SURFACE OF SAID EQUIPMENT TO WHICH IT IS SECURED, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID GRIP ABOUT THE SAID CONFINED YOKE TO A POSITION WHEN THE RESPECTIVE LONGITUDINAL AXES OF BOTH OF SAID YOKES ARE TRANSVERSE TO EACH OTHER WHEREBY SAID YOKES ARE IN A CROSS-BRACE RELATIONSHIP TO MAINTAIN SAID GRIP IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION TO SERVE AS A HANDLE FOR SAID EQUIPMENT, AND WHEREBY WHEN THE RESPECTIVE AXES OF SAID YOKES ARE IN ALIGNMENT, BOTH OF SAID YOKES WILL BE NESTED TO PERMIT FOLDING OF SAID GRIP TO A FOLDED POSITION ON THE SURFACE OF SAID EQUIPMENT. 